Wireless communications networks conventionally track the location of mobile subscribers. These continuous location updates allow a wireless communication network to forward communications to the mobile subscriber regardless of its location within the wireless coverage area.
Wireless carriers have recently implemented location-based and presence-based services for their mobile subscribers. Location-based services may include driving directions, local news and other services based on the geographic position of the mobile subscriber. Presence-based services allow mobile subscribers to share presence information whenever the subscribers are connected to the network. A common presence service is instant messaging, which provides other user's with information on whether another user is connected to the network and available for instant messaging communications.
The implementation of presence information in wireless networks requires different considerations from the implementation of presence information within computer networks. If every mobile device transmits to the wireless carrier a continuous stream of autonomous location updates, then hundreds of millions of events would traverse the wireless network and would require processing by the wireless network's presence infrastructure. This would both overwhelm the wireless network and potentially limit the economic viability of some location based services due to network and infrastructure limitations and operating costs.
In view of the above, there is a need for an improved system and method for providing location-based and presence-based services to a wireless device.